Driving can be very dangerous if the correct combination of skill, caution and courtesy is not applied, whether by yourself or fellow motorists.

Figures this week have shown worrying trends in driving habits across the UK. On Monday (6 June), the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) revealed an apparent gender divide when it comes to dangerous driving.

Men are more dangerous than women on the roads, suggests a paper, called Licensed to skill: Contributory factors in road accidents, suggests that male motorists are more likely than their female counterparts to be involved in crashes because of bad driving habits such as driving too fast or under the influence of alcohol.

Interestingly, despite being highlighted by the IAM as having a higher probability of being in a collision, almost twice as many men as women claim to be “very confident” on the road.

IAM chief executive, Simon Best, said: “These results show that we need to look at the psychology of male drivers to reduce risky behaviour and over-confidence, but for both sexes accidents could be easily reduced by improving driver skills and lives could be saved.

Meanwhile, female motorists aged 50-65 could be the most dangerous type of motorist when it comes to level crossings, according to figures from the British Transport Police seen by the Telegraph. Of 1,131 offences recorded at level crossings in the south-east of England since January, 27 per cent were carried out by women aged 50 to 65. These incidents include jumping the lights, driving across crossings as the barriers are coming down and colliding with barriers. Dyan Crowther, Network Rail’s director of operational services, told the Telegraph: “The age group suggests there is a level of complacency among older drivers, perhaps also a sense of familiarity with the area which has led to their forming bad habits. But why there are more women than men has really stumped us.”

Us too, Dyan!

What is unfair about these statistics is that the majority of safe, courteous motorists in the UK are being put at risk by the type of drivers mentioned here. Three words of advice to offenders before heading out on the road: think, consider, improve…
Author: Anthony Hobbs